Poultry-trap.



PATENTED PEB. 1l, 1908.

z sums- SHEET 2.

inventor atmnt B. M. HANNBS.

POULTRY TRAP APPLICATION FILED Nov.13. 1907.

y BERTHA M. HANNES, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO J. E. RICHARDS,

OHIO.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

0E DAYTON,

POULTRY-TRAP.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1908.

Application led November 13. 1907. Serial Ilo. 401,911.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERTHA M. HANNEs, citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Poultry-Traps, and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, Vand to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this speciiication.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in poultry traps, and consists of a trap especially designed for laying hens.

The object of the invention is to provide a trap of simple construction in which is provided a nest for the he-n and which securely incloses the hen immediately upon its entrance therein.

In the drawings-Figure 1, is a perspective view of my improved hen trap. Fig. 2, is a vertical cross sectional view with the trap door in its open or elevated position.

In a detail description of the invention, similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts.

The housing or inclosing structure is constructed of lattice work in order to provide an ample circulation of air, and such lattice work may be constructed of wood or wire or partly of wood and partly of wire.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is constructed of wood of suitable dimensions to admit of one hen at a time occupying the inclosure. 1 designates four corner uprights or posts which are joined by parallel side and end panels 2 and bottom cross panels 4 extending from the middle portion of two lower side panels 2 and from the ends of two lower side panels 2. The upper structure consists of two inclined beams 6 on each side which converge inwardly at their upper ends and are attached to the upper ends of each of the uprights 3 which lie on each side of the structure and are united to the side panels 2 2 of the lower structure. The inclined beams 6 6 on each side of the structure rest upon upper cross panels 5 5 which extend from the top of one of each pair of end posts 1 to the other and these inclines 6 6 are united by cross panels l7 which panels are also secured to the uprights 3 on each side of the structure. The

two rear,cross panels 6 are united by cross pieces 8 (not shown in Fig. l), which cross pieces are joined by a series of parallel panels 9. The parts thus far described constitute the stationary parts of the lattice housing, the various panels being arranged sufficiently adjacent to each other to prevent an inclosed hen from escaping.

10 10 designate upper and lower cross panels which are united to longitudinal side panels 11 and to lattice strips 12, the parts so united constitute the trap door which is hinged at 13 on each side to the upper portions of the uprights or posts 3. This trap door so constructed is maintained vin its closed position as in Fig. 1 by gravity, and is adapted to be locked automatically in its closed position by means of a resilient frame 14, the upper ends of which form the pivot 18 for the trap door, and the lower portion of which extends across the outer side of the trap door and is united thereto by staples 15. The side portions 16 of this resilient frame are adapted to lock with tapering blocks 17 one of which is arranged on each side of the lattice housing, preferably to the middle cross panel 7 on each side.

When the trap door is ermitted to drop by gravity, the resilient rame or the side portions 16 thereof move against the outer inclined surfaces of the blocks 17 until they reach the inner ends of said blocks at which time they spring inwardly and interlock with the inner ends oi said blocks. The nest frame lies within the lower portion of the lattice inclosure and is constructed of four corner posts or uprights 18 united to parallel side and end panels 19, the latter being joined by parallel longitudinal panels 2O forming the nest floor. This nest frame so constructed rests upon the lower cross panel 4 when it is not in a suspended position, for example, when the trap door is lowered as in Fig. 1. On each side of said nest frame there are attached two guide strips 21 lying on opposite sides of the stationary uprights 3, the atter providing guides for the vertical movement of the nestframe.

It will be understood that the nest frame, constructed as described of the corner posts 18, side and end panels 19 and. floor panels 20, is rovided with a suitable quantity of straw or the hen, the whole more roperly speaking, constituting the nest. ttached to the nest frame, is an inclined frame which extends out of the lattice housing through l ture to the apexof thesuperstructure,parallel the rearward inclined roof; this frame conpanels uniting the converging strips with sists of two side panels or strips 22 which are attached at their lower ends to the base' strip 19 of the nest frame, and at their middle portions these side strips 22 are-attached to cross strips 23 which are united to the guide pieces 21 on the inside of the guide posts 3. It will thus be seen that the nest frame is attached on each side to these guide strips 22 which extend upwardly and out of the lattice housing and are joined at their upper exposed ends to a cross panel 24 which is slotted at 25 to provide a hand hold. There is also joined to the upper ends of the side strips 22, a cross piece 26 which lies at right ang es to the cross piece 24. Attached to this cross piece 26 is a plate or detent 27 which projects forwardly beyond the outer edge of the crosspiece 26. 28 designates a detent or tongue secured to the upper panel 10 of the trap door in a position to interlock with the detent 27 when the trap door is elevated as in Fig. 2. When the trap door is thus engaged, the nest frame is held in a position slightly suspended above the base of the housing, and in such position a hen has ready access to the nest. Immediately upon entering the nest, the vibration imparted thereto by the weight of the hen, will cause a suliicient movement of the Jframe members 22 to sufficiently disconnect the detents 27 and 28 to permit the trap door to fall to its closed position and to become locked in such position by the resilient frame 14 or the side extensions thereof engaging with the lugs 17 as hereinbefore described.

To permit the hen to leave the trap and nest after the arrival of an egg is announced, the frame 22 and therewith the nest frame is suil'iciently elevated through the hand hold 25, and the trap door is raised upon its pivots 13 to permit the detents to rengage as before stated.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a poultry trap, a stationary lattice structure Jforming the inclosure for the nest and consisting of corner posts united to side and end panels,`and a super structure joining the same and consisting of converging strips extending from the corner posts, upright posts extending from the lower strucsaid upright posts, a trap door on one side of the super structure, a resilient frame, the upper ends of which form the pivots ofthe trap door and the lower portion of which is united to the outer side of said trap door, means on the super structure to maintain the trap door in its closed position, the lower portion of said trap door being adapted to interlock with the means for maintaining the trap door closed, a nest frame on the interior of the lattice structure, guide strips on each side of the nest frame, said guide strips inclosing opposite sides of the upright posts which extend from the lower structure to the super structure, an inclined Jframe secured to the opposite sides of the nest Jrame and extending through the top ofthe super structure, and interlocking detents on the upper portion of the trap door and the inclined frame adapted to engage each other to hold the nest frame in a suspended position and the trap door in an open position, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. A poultry trap comprising an outer lattice frame-work with a converging super structure of lattice work, upright posts extending centrally on each side of said outer lattice frame-work and the super structure, a trap door hinged to one side of the super structure and provided with pivots, a locking lug on each side of the super structure, a resilient frame extending from the pivots ofthe trap door across the lower portion of the trap door and coperating with said lugs to maintainv the trap door in a closed position, a nest Jframe on the inner side of the lattice structure, an inclined frame attached to the nest frame and extending through the rear side of the super structure, and detents on the upper portion of said inclined Jframe and the trap door adapted to interlock to maintain the nest frame in a suspended position and the trap door in an open position, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I a'Hix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

BERTHA M. HANNES.

Witnesses:

MARGARET L. WATSON, l ANNA R. WATSON. 

